Oregon State Women's Basketball: Selection Sunday Primer

When will we know the Oregon State Beavers' opponent in the first round of the NCAA Tournament? And speaking of the NCAA Tournament, how did the Beavers make it this far, and how does this team compare to previous OSU tourney teams?

March 11, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oregon State Beavers celebrate after defeating the Portland Pilots after the game in the final of the West Coast Conference tournament at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

What is the biggest story in college basketball?

Let me know if you can think of anything more compelling than Scott Rueck's 2024-25 Oregon State women's basketball team. After falling to the eventual national champion South Carolina Gamecocks in last season's Elite Eight, each of the Beavers' top 5 scorers transferred out. 9 players left the team altogether. 11 months later, Rueck's team is dancing.

How did they get here? When will we learn their first round matchup? And what should fans expect in the tournament?

How We Got Here: a Classic Vegas Hot Streak

After earning the 4th seed in the West Coast Conference Tournament bracket, the Beavers won 3 games in 3 days: first they dispatched San Francisco in the quarterfinals thanks to a Kelsey Rees buzzer-beater, then they outlasted top seed Gonzaga in the semifinals with help from a last-second Kennedie Shuler jump shot, and finally they smothered Portland's three point prowess in the title game 59-46.

Now, they await the suspense of Selection Sunday.

What's Next: the Selection Sunday Show on ESPN, at 5 PM PST

The Oregon State team, and their fans alike, will find out where the Beavers play next on ESPN's Selection Sunday show. The broadcast begins at 5 PM PST this Sunday, and it will be hosted by ESPN Radio's Q Myers.

What Should Fans Expect?

This marks the 9th NCAA tournament appearance for the Oregon State women's basketball program since Scott Rueck became their head coach.

In the previous 8 appearances, the Beavers reached 1 Final Four (2015-16). 2 more teams reached the Elite Eight (2017-18, 2023-24). 2 more teams reached the Sweet Sixteen (2016-17, 2018-19). In their other 3 appearances, Oregon State got as far as the second round. They have never lost an opening round game under Scott Rueck.

Hopefully, that streak will continue. We'll get our first glimpse at its potential on Sunday night.